Young people from Ardoyne and the Shankill came together in a bid to help the homeless in Belfast this week.

Up to 80 young people from different Belfast communities worked together on Tuesday night at Corpus Christi Youth Club in Ballymurphy as part of an initiative by Homeless Aware and a number of youth clubs across the city.

Paul McCusker, a community worker who became known as the homeless campaigner when he slept rough to raise awareness last year, said the young people had achieved something very positive.

He said: "I just think it's positive in terms of young people coming together from all parts of the community. We hope to make this a long term project, we want to keep it going."

Paul said this was the second workshop and 80 young people from across Belfast all took part, coming together to help the homeless.

"It is good getting them to understand how people end up on the street. We are targeting young people in terms of education and getting them out there on the streets helping homeless people by giving out cups of tea and blankets," he said.

As well as raising awareness this project aims to bring young people together from both communities with the focus of helping those less fortunate. Young People from Tigers Bay, Ardoyne, Whiterock, Ballymurphy, Shankill and Newlodge are now planning on working together on a long term basis as they want to help support homeless people and charities.

Paul added: "One young person said to be that he wanted to change someone's life.

"Often young people get bad press but there's a lot of good work that goes on and young people want to make a difference.

"There's also a lot about the flash points and particularly young people at this time of year coming up to July, this project is breaking that barrier and these young people are prepared to work together to help those less fortunate."